Your source for NBA news and nonsense

Menu

Trade Machine Fun: Jeff Green to Charlotte

For the second year in a row we will be bringing you fake trades from ESPN’s trade machine that are based off rumors. Essentially we are attempting to piece together rumors in order to guess what will happen before the February 20th trade deadline. Please let us know in the comments if you want us to post about a specific rumor.

The Trade:

*notes on trade: Keith Bogans could be replaced with Joel Anthony if this was broken into two deals (Anthony can only be traded in a one for one deal because he was traded after the December 19th deadline to repackage a player). It is possible the Celtics could acquire Portland’s first round pick via Charlotte in the deal as well

The Rumors:

“Also potentially in the mix for Bass are the Bobcats, who are desperate to add depth at power forward as they attempt to make a run to just their second playoff berth in franchise history. Charlotte owes its own draft pick to Chicago, if it winds up landing outside the Top 10, but does have Detroit’s pick, if it lands outside the Top 8.

The Bobcats own Portland’s pick, which will wind up late in the first round because of the way Portland has played, and that’s the pick that would most likely wind up with Boston in a Bass deal.”

Why For Boston:

Despite what Rajon Rondosaid, the Celtics are not making the playoffs this year. At the trade deadline Boston will be looking for young players, draft picks and cap flexibility. This trade would provide them with all three. Adding a great young prospect in Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, cap flexibility in moving the long term contracts of Jeff Green and Brandon Bass for the expiring contract of Ben Gordon and if Charlotte added Portland’s late first it would provide a draft pick. It also wouldn’t hurt their chance at Jabari Parker, that the trade would make them an estimated four games worse.

Why For Charlotte:

Charlotte has been the punch line of the NBA for too long. Making the playoffs for the second time in franchise history could do wonders for removing the “losing franchise” label from the Bobcats. With the team rebranding itself back to the Charlotte Hornets, a playoff trip could help them rebrand their franchise perception as well. In this deal the Bobcats would gain two players who could come in and start immediately for them, bolstering their already stout defense while adding some offensive firepower. With Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson carrying the scoring load, Jeff Green would be free of the pressure (to be the number one scoring option) that has weighed him down in Boston this year.